"What do you mean, 'He might back out?' Murphy, this was practically a done deal as long as we came in with cash."

Harry and Murphy were standing on the courthouse steps when a call came in on Murphy's cell. The papers solidifying the partnership between them had been filed and they were now officially in business together.

Becca and Harry waited anxiously for an explanation as Murphy slid his phone into his back pocket.

Shock was evident on his face and a trace of dismay in his voice as Murphy elaborated. "Hickson said he wasn't sure if we would be able to come up with the cash, so he alerted the next two interested parties in line. No one was jumping on his original price, but he knew when he dropped it that someone would come through."

"I don't understand, Murph. We have the money, you told him that when you called him this morning. Why would he consider backing out now?" Becca was tugging on her husband's sleeve, clearly agitated.

"He said that the second party passed, but the third guy is a developer and is interested in modernizing the building and splitting it into offices. When Hickson told him that he was giving us first shot for Etta's expansion, the guy said he didn't need the extra 10% discount and he could come in with a cash offer as well."

"Offices? No! That's criminal, that building is a landmark in the University District, it has history, it can't be flipped for office space. If nothing else, there's a principle involved." The level of Becca's discontent was rising, as noted by the waving of her hands while she spoke.

Harry scrubbed his hands over his face. "Alright, let's think about this. Murph, Hickson said he would still meet us at 3:00pm, right?" Murphy nodded in the affirmative. "Fine. We don't have time to do any kind of a bank loan, and if either of us pull out that much from our cash reserves, it leaves us vulnerable. We can't risk a personal financial crisis over this. I say we keep the meeting, and appeal to the man's decency. If he is willing to go through with the deal as planned, we can secure the remaining funds with a loan to meet this other guy's offer. Our goal is to convince him to be patient while we get it sorted."

The three partners parted company. They feared a setback and each felt some anxiety about the upcoming meeting that would determine the fate of their current dream. Still, life proceeds. Harry had classes to attend and Murphy and Becca had the restaurant to prep for lunch. 

The sky was cloudless and bright. Refracted sunlight on the melting snow necessitated the sunglasses Harry slipped on as he drove to campus. Observing the pale blue sky that served as a crisp backdrop for the contrasting sapphire and evergreen mountains rising to shield the valley town, Harry knew that even if this property slipped through their fingers, they would find another. This was his home now and he wasn't going to be discouraged.

He and Madelyn had driven separately into town that morning. She had an early class to teach while he took care of business with Murphy and Becca. He was anxious to see her, even if it would only be to sneak a kiss over the lunch hour. They were both busy people. Between their individual weekday commitments, it seemed that they would have to make the most of the weekends. A stolen hour here and there seemed all they would have during the week.

It was 12:30pm when she felt a presence. Madelyn looked up from her paperwork to see Harry leaning against the doorway to her campus office. He looked good enough to eat in a grey sweater and his customary black skinny jeans. The fact that he had swapped his brown suede boots for a pair of black ones made his legs appear even longer, if that was possible.

"How long have you been standing there?"

"Only a minute or two. Just long enough to entertain a fleeting teacher fantasy. I hadn't realized that I had a thing for reading glasses."

Harry used his shoulder to push himself away from the doorframe, sauntering into the room as she removed her glasses and stood to greet him. Dropping the messenger bag that held his books and laptop, he pulled her into an embrace.

"I've missed you," he mumbled into her hair.

"It's only been four hours." Madelyn grinned, lifting her face to his.

"Don't care. I'm hooked."

He kissed her forehead, then temple, before brushing his lips warmly over hers. Nudging her upper lip with the tip of his tongue, he directed it to fit between his own and sucked gently before subjecting her bottom lip to the same treatment.

"Mmm, that's nice," her voice was quiet as her hands came to rest at his waist.

She stepped into him further. One of his hands came around to the small of her back as the other drifted up her neck and his fingers threaded into her hair. Slightly tightening his grip, he bent her head to the side, exposing her throat. Harry slicked his tongue over the soft purple spot he'd left there the previous morning.

"It probably makes me sound like a damn neanderthal, but I like seeing my mark on your body," he smirked. "Did you wear my scarf in class?"

"I did. It was that, or scandalize a lecture hall full of freshmen." Madelyn laid her palms on his chest and pushed him away gently so she could look into his clear, green eyes. "It smelled of you, like having you wrapped around me."

Harry's hand slid from her hair. He ran his index finger around her neck to the vulnerable soft spot between her collar bones. Spreading his large hand across Madelyn's throat, he grasped her lightly. She watched something smolder in his eyes momentarily. With his hand that was on her back, he urged her to him. There was no mistaking the growing hardness that pressed into her abdomen.

"Harry, what are you thinking about?" she spoke softly.

"I'm thinking about trust. I'm thinking about holding you like this and watching you come." Shaking his head and dropping his hands, he muttered, "Sorry, too soon."

Rather than appearing disconcerted, Madelyn took his hand in hers and led him to sit with her on the sofa that was perpendicular to her desk.

"How did things go at the courthouse this morning, any problems?"

Harry proceeded to explain the situation with the purchase of the property for Etta's expansion. She listened intently, absorbing the information about Hickson alerting other potential buyers of his offer to sell at a reduced price as an incentive to pay cash. As he described the competing buyer's offer and plans to develop office space, modernizing the building, she stalled. It sounded predatory to her.

"Why would this guy boost his offer only after learning that it was Etta's that was first in line to purchase that property, Harry?"

"He doesn't like pizza?" Harry joked.

She gave him a disapproving look.

"Seriously, I don't know. The property languished on the market for over a year after the renovations were completed. It was over-priced, but with the reduction for a cash purchase, it's a great deal. Even though Hickson needs to liquidate so he can get out from under it and move on, he's in a good position with multiple offers. If he won't cut us some slack on the 10%, we'll have to pass. I'm not going bankrupt on my first venture."

"What if you had a partner of your own? Someone who was willing to put up the cash but remains silent."

"Baby, I don't have time to find anyone else to help bankroll this and frankly, I don't want someone I don't know involved, silent or not. It isn't just about the money. This is my future; Murph and Becca want to retire in a few years, and the plan is for me to eventually buy them out."

"Etta's expansion is a good investment, Harry. I've been through all of your documentation. From a purely business perspective, it is worth taking on a secondary partner of your own to secure the remaining funds."

"No. It's nearly forty thousand dollars. I don't know anyone with that much cash on hand to invest, and I'm not asking my family. Either Hickson is willing to work with us, or we accept defeat."

She was learning some of his habits and Madelyn noted that when he was agitated, Harry was prone to running his fingers through his hair repeatedly. At the moment, his curls were sticking up every which way as he tortured them.

"You spoke of trust earlier, Harry. Do you trust me?"

He took both of her hands in his and turned so they were face to face.

"Yes. I do trust you, Madelyn."

"Then let me give you the money; make me your silent partner."

The only sound in the room was the ticking of the clock that hung on the wall, and the contemplative breathing of the two of them as the seconds passed.

Finally, Harry spoke. "Why would you do that?"

Madelyn brought his hand to her lips and kissed his palm before placing it over her throat and pressing his fingers to tighten, as he had done earlier.

"Because I trust you, too."

***

Author's Note:

As always, thank you for continuing to read, vote and comment on 'Delivery.'